Traveling Tolins 2

Located north of Australia, the bed of the Arafura Sea holds a key to the earliest human migrations.  Around 18,000 BC, during the Ice Age period known as the Last Glacial Maximum, sea levels were much lower and the floor of these waters, known as the Arafur Shelf, formed a dry land bridge linking Australia and New Guinea.  Entire populations easily walked from continent to continent, exchanging language and customs.  In centuries past, wooden sailboats from Indonesian Makassar sailed these waters in search of trepangs , or sea cucumbers.  Today, it is believed to be named for inhabitants of the Moluccas, who called themselves  haraforas , or “children of the mountains.” We will arrive Darwin tomorrow morning, our final port call in Australia.

Th e  Torres Strait is a  strait  which lies between  Australia  and the  Melanesian  island of  New Guinea . It is approximately 150 km (93 mi) wide at its narrowest extent. To the south is  Cape York Peninsula , the northernmost continental extremity of the  Australian  state of  Queensland . To the north is the  Western Province  of  Papua New Guinea . It is named after navigator  Luís Vaz de Torres , who passed through the Strait in 1606. The strait links the  Coral Sea  to the east with the  Arafura Sea  and  Gulf of Carpentaria  in the west. Although it is an important international sea lane, it is very shallow (25 to 50 foot water depth),  and the maze of reefs and islands can make it hazardous to navigate. In the south the  Endeavour Strait  is located between  Prince of Wales Island  (Muralug) and the mainland. Shipping enters ...

Just off the northernmost tip of Australia’s Cape York in the Torres Strait, picturesque Thursday Island was once home to a thriving pearl fishing industry. From the late 19 th century, divers came from Japan, Malaysia, and India to harvest the precious stone of the gold-lipped oyster.  The diving has declined, but hints of Asia’s rich cultures remain.  Many island residents still live by a no-footwear policy out of respect for the spirits believed to live on the island. We were greeted with an orientation of indigenous peoples and how they lived for thousands of years before Europeans first arrived 300+ years ago.  Even though it was Sunday, towns people provided entertainment and set up craft displays.  One and only grocery store in town.  We spotted large turtles from our cruise ship while at anchor.  The cloud formation were the largest and prettiest we have see...

Stretching for 1,400 miles along the Queensland coast, the Great Barrier Reef is the only structure composed of living creatures visible from space.  This UNESCO World Heritage Site, often called the Eighth Wonder of the World, encompasses 2,900 separate reefs, 600 islands, and 300 cays.  Each harbors an astonishing variety of marine life, including 360 types of brightly hued hard coral and more than 1,500 species of fish.  The waters in this region of the Coral Sea are remarkably clear, affording a unique glimpses of life underwater, even for ship passengers.  Vibrant coral, green sea turtles, dolphins, and any number of creatures might be seen deep below the aquamarine surface. Today is a sea day in that we visited Cairns yesterday and tomorrow we will be at Thursday Island.  This evening we observed a beautiful sun set from our dining room window.    

Queensland’s seaside resort town, Cairns is the gateway to a rich array of natural beauty onshore and off.  Catamarans and other ships take marine lovers to the Great Barrier Reef; stretching 1,400 miles, it is the largest continuous coral reef system on Earth.  Inland, the wet tropics have given rise to Daintree and Kuranda National Parks, vast rainforest systems of biodiversity, and a profusion of birdlife.  For all its appeal to outdoor enthusiastic, Cairns thriving culture is a pleasure to absorb from outdoor cafes or along the scenic waterfront promenade. The city’s rich history lives on in its many heritage-listed buildings and memorials, many of them lining popular Abbott Street.  Monument (don't know who to)  Over 100-year old private high school.  Captain James Cook.  Fox bats in trees along divided street in town; a real menace. Today we explored  Kuranda National Park's tropical rainforest and rich culture, explorin...